Awakening: I Became a Legendary Spirit Summoner-Chapter 10 - : The Whip Trees, Reaching Level 5

Karl tightened his grip on the [Spectral Blade] as the first [Whip Tree] lashed out with a vine, aiming straight for his head.

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He sidestepped swiftly, slicing through the vine in one fluid motion.

A sizzling noise filled the air as the severed vine hit the ground, writhing before crumbling into ash.

"Spread out!" Karl barked to his spirits.

The [Demonized Bear] roared, charging headfirst into one of the trees.

Its massive claws tore into the bark, leaving deep gouges that oozed a dark, sap-like substance.

The [Frenzied Rabbit] darted between the trees, its speed making it nearly impossible for the vines to land a hit.

Meanwhile, the [Giant Nature Fox] flanked another tree, biting and clawing at its base to weaken it.

Two more trees joined the battle, their thick branches swinging.

Karl leaped back, narrowly avoiding one that cracked the ground where he'd just been standing.

Thanks to his attributes gains from leveling up and absorbing the spirits, it was manageable.

With a flick of his wrist, he activated [Spirit Flames].

A ghostly white fire grew in his palm, sending it toward one of the trees and burning it.

'It's a weakness,' he thought to himself, seeing that the tree immediately stopped moving after being hit.

He then swung the [Spectral Blade] toward the nearest tree, releasing a wave of fiery energy.

Fwish!

He cut it in half, killing it instantly.

Nearby, the [Demonized Bear] was busy clawing at another tree when a massive branch came crashing down toward its back.

"Bear, watch out!" Karl shouted.

Without hesitation, he dashed forward, the [Spectral Blade] igniting with a brighter silver glow.

He slashed upward, intercepting the branch mere inches from the bear's back.

The blade cleaved through the plant effortlessly, and Karl spun on his heel, using the momentum to drive the blade straight into the tree's trunk.

The [Whip Tree] shuddered violently, its branches flailing in a last-ditch effort to retaliate.

Karl twisted the blade, then sent a surge of [Spirit Flames] into its core.

The fire spread quickly, consuming the tree from the inside out.

"Focus on one at a time!" he yelled to his spirits.

After a few minutes, they managed to get rid of all the trees without any casualty on their end.

A level 4 awakener and a bunch of level 4 summons managed to take down a group of level 7 monsters.

This was remarkable, no matter how you looked at it.

The [Alpha Dire Wolf] was the MVP by the way, killing three of the seven [Whip Trees] by itself.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

[You have slain a level 7 Whip Tree.]

[You have slain a level 7 Whip Tree.]

[You have slain a...]

Thanks to that, he managed to level up again.

[You have reached level 5. You have gained 2 stat points for each of your stats.]

[Your "Spirit Cemetery" and "Summon Cemetery" limit has increased by 5.]

[Your proficiency with "Spectral Blade" has increased by 17%]

[Your proficiency with "Spirit Flames" has increased by 8%]

"Ah shit, here we go again," Karl sighed as he grabbed the several spirit orbs lying around.

He already had a full cemetery before, and so leveling up meant that it was now maxed again.

[Spirit Cemetery: 25/25]

"Surely, the summon I'll get should be more powerful now."

His summons seemed to have a very low defense, all of them capable of dying in a single hit.

That was why Karl would need to get ready to defend them.

"You all defend each other if you can as well, though don't sacrifice yourselves, that's an order."

He added this new rule for his spirits, who all nodded.

"I don't think anyone's close," he whispered while closing his eyes, "Spirit Cemetery."

Opening them back, he found himself in the [Spirit Cemetery] again.

It was the same desolate atmosphere as always, with the 5 tombstones of his summons still up, and the 25 spirit tombstones shimmering faintly in the dim light.

Raising his hand, he used [Link] again.

A wave of energy surged through him as the tombstones cracked and splintered.

The glowing spirit spiraled into the air, converging into a single form.

Karl narrowed his eyes as the shape began to materialize.

When the light faded, standing before him was a creature roughly the size of a wolf.

Its body was a twisted mesh of bark-like plates and vines, giving it a feral and agile appearance.

Thorny tendrils extended from its back and tail, writhing with a life of their own.

Its legs were thick and sturdy, ending in claw-like roots that seemed designed for both speed and combat.

[Summoned: Thorned Vine Beast]

[Level: 5]

"Oh..."

It had seemingly merged both the form of a [Dire Wolf] and the powers of the [Whip Trees].

Surely it would be incredible in combat.

Satisfied, Karl got ready to leave the space.

Yet before he could make a move, a cold, oppressive force swept through the air.

From the depths of the cemetery's shadows, a colossal figure began to materialize once more.

The darkness seemed to ripple and writhe as the presence emerged, towering over the tombstones like a grim monument of death itself.

It was the [Reaper], still wearing its hood and carrying its scythe in its hands.

Two hollow sockets glowed faintly beneath the hood, their pale light fixing upon Karl.

[Death, The Reaper]

Karl swallowed hard.

No matter how many times he saw this figure, the sheer weight of its presence never ceased to make his knees tremble slightly.

The Reaper stood motionless for a moment, its ethereal scythe resting by its side.

Then, in a voice that seemed to echo from the void itself, it spoke.

[Congratulations on reaching Level 5, Karl Bloodborne.]

Karl blinked, caught off guard by the words, "Thanks, I guess?"

[It seems you have also learned about most of the rules of spirit summoning.]

The Reaper took a step closer, the ground beneath it cracking and wilting with each movement.

[But there is more you must understand.]

Karl sighed, glancing at his summons' tombstones.

"That's great and all, but I really need to head back before something finds my body."

[...]

The Reaper said nothing, its hollow eyes locked onto him in an unsettling silence.

"I'll come back later," Karl muttered, shutting his eyes, "Spirit Cemetery," he whispered, intending to leave.

But when he opened them again, he was still in the [Spirit Cemetery].

"What the...?" He frowned, confusion flickering across his face.

"Spirit Cemetery," he repeated, more forcefully this time.

Nothing happened.

He tried again. And again. Each time, the result was the same.

The oppressive air of the [Spirit Cemetery] weighed on him, making his frustration grow.

"Why can't I—"

But before he could finish, a sharp ding echoed in his ears, and a cold chill ran down his spine as a new notification appeared before him.

[You have died.]

[Your body in the real world was killed.]

Karl stared blankly at the message, his mind racing to catch up.

"Oh," he said flatly, his voice devoid of emotion. "Well, that's... not good."

[Really?]